The Difference
by SAmaster01
Summary: Hinata is the container for the Nine-tailed fox, and Naruto is trying to become Hokage to honor his father. Written because, their aren't enough NaruHina stories where they start as childhood freinds Read and review please.
1. Prologue

The Difference.

Prologue

Once in a land far away, known as the land of fire, lay a village in the middle of a disaster. The village was simply known as The village hidden in the leaves, sometimes called Konoha. Many men and women were dying in the village, and many were trying to find safe haven. However the disaster wasn't what most would think as they looked at the bodies that lined streets. It wasn't an earthquake that was destroying the buildings, it wasn't a storm that caused people to run and bolt their doors, it wasn't plague of famine that gave the people hopelessness in their eyes. It was something worse.

Looming in one of the towns many forests was a giant beast, it had nine, long slender tails, that it was using to destroy buildings, trees, and may other things. It was covered in red fur, all of it standing on end, looking like needles. It had two long ears on top of it's menacing, snarling head. The villagers had soon learned it was a Nine-tailed fox.

The creature loomed above the buildings, almost the size of a small mountain, and yet many of the villagers boldly fought the creature, proving only effective as flies attacking a bull.

One man with white eyes looked at the beast destroying the village, and killing hundreds of people. The man wanted nothing more than to stop the beast from ever doing such carnage again, but wanted to flee and leave the world to it's troubles. In his hands, he carried his newborn daughter. In the midst of the destruction, the girl was quiet, she did not cry, despite the fact her first time into the world had been so ugly.

The man leapt ontop a red toad that equaled the size of the Nine-tailed fox, and looked the man who had died summoning it in the eye, both comforted by the fact neither would be alone in death. As the toad man died, the white-eyed man faced the beast, and did the most devastating of things for a single man to do. He converged his energies, and struck the Nine-tailed fox while on top the toad. However, just as many failed to kill the beast, so did the white-eyed man, the beast fell, but it's spirit remained, refusing to die. With no other option, the man pulled the beasts spirit, and pushed it into his daughter's stomach.

However, just as many of his fellow men had died trying to fell the beast, so did the man with the white eyes. The man screamed in pain, before he simply vanished from the forest.

When the white-eyed man died, snow fell from the skies, letting everyone know, that it was a time deserving silence, to let the heavens cover the ground, and give people a time to think.

It was only when the beast was gone, did the white-eyed man's daughter begin to cry. The little girl wept and wept, not simply because her father had died, but mainly because she felt a pain, starting from her stomach, and burning her body. When the pain went away, the child still cried, even when it had gone to sleep, the baby still had tears coming from it's eyes.

The toad, saddened by the deaths around him, gently took the baby and the man who summoned him, and lay them on the ground. Knowing the time he was needed was over, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Men jumping from the trees were happy that the beast was gone, but when the found the child and the dead toad man, they became sad again, because they knew that the beast had stilled killed many, and still destroyed much that they had held dear.

An old man appeared, walking in the snow towards the girl, his eyes making him look older than he really was. He took the baby, who still wept even though it was asleep, and checked her stomach, and was saddened by the spiral marks he saw. With a deep sigh, he alone told everyone in the village:

"This child is to be considered a hero, she is to be honored for taking the greatest burden among us."

With that, he returned back to the village with the child, and the old man led the village as it began to rebuild, and they always honored the small girl, for taking the greatest burden of the Village hidden in the leaves.

But this is but a story, Giant foxes and toads are of but myth, men cannot slay such beasts, and old men are too senile to run government. But the biggest lie of the story, is that the white-eyed mans' daughter, was honored. People were truly scared by the beast, the Nine-tailed fox. Their loved ones killed, and homes destroyed, they wanted to make sure nothing like that would ever happen again. The white-eyed man settled for stealing the beasts spirit, and hiding it in his daughter.

Many others weren't. Many picked, bullied, often times hurt, the small girl, as they thought she was the beast, the Nine-tailed fox. They wanted the fox to pay. The small girl didn't even get the honor of having a family, her mother had died giving birth, and if was forbidden to tell her that her father was the white-eyed man.

The moral of this story, dear children, is that often times, nothing is learned from the actions of others. Nobody understood that the white-eyed man, chose his own daughter, instead of someone he could do away with. He chose his own daughter, as an example to his fellow people, that person who would hide the beasts body, was someone who deserved a chance to live, a reward, if small, for carrying the heaviest burden of the village.

Even when the old man told everyone that it was forbidden to say that the girl was the hiding place of the beast, they still treated her the same. Even when they got too old, their children were encouraged to do the same.

The only good thing about the girl, is, since she lived in ignorance, she strove to prove everyone wrong, to prove she deserved to live, to give the people a reason to let her live.

But this is were the story ends. At least for today. What happens to the girl, is but a story for tomorrow, when we are wiser, more open-minded, and more willing to learn of this young, white-eyed girl.


	2. Age 5

The Difference: Ch 1

Firsts.

-----

Naruto Uzamaki: Shy boy, Age: 5, Identifiable traits: Love of Ramen, blonde hair, blue eyes, generally quiet.

Hinata Michiko: Obnoxious troubled girl, Age 5, Identifiable traits: Purplish-blue hair, silverish eyes with no pupils, three 'whisker' marks on each chin, never gives up, ever.

-----

Naruto Uzamaki was sitting in the bushes, watching his fellow classmate, Hinata Michiko, practicing fighting a wooden dummy.

This was about the fifth time he had watched her work, but he never gathered the courage to say hi to her. Naruto was a shy boy, many adults made fun of him, since his father was Minato, who almost became fourth Hokage, but lost to Hiashi Hyuuga. He was usually picked on by other kids for being shy, so he usually didn't say much.

Hinata kept hitting the dummy, but she was obviously being strained, Naruto could see the sweat on her face from his hiding place in the bush.

'Why does she try so hard?' Naruto thought to himself. 'Everyone pushes her around, and picks on her so much, but she tries hard anyway.'

Hinata hit the dummy again, and fell to her knees in exhaustion. She was breathing heavily, but she tried to get back up. When she was back on her feet, she moved as though she were going to strike the dummy again, but turned around and threw a rock, which hit Naruto in his head.

Before Naruto could get back up from the ground after being hit by that rock, Hinata grabbed his arm, and used it to pin him down, while holding another rock in her hand.

"Please don't kill me!" Naruto yelled.

"Why are you spying on me." Hinata asked him, her rock poised to strike.

"I just wanted to watch you train, that's all, I promise, just please don't kill me!" Naruto pleaded.

"Uhh... you do get it's just a rock, right?" Hinata said.

"Yeah, but they way you hit that dummy, I bet you could kill me easy."

"Why are you watching me train." Hinata asked him.

"It's just that... you never give up, even though people tell you you're going to lose, or fail, you still try really hard. I give up all the time, people tell me I'm never going to win, but I see you and... you just seem so strong." He said.

"You're Naruto, right?"

"Yeah."

"That shy kid who never says anything."

"Uh-huh"

Hinata put her rock down, but still kept little Naruto pinned.

"How do I know you're not trying to get people to come hear so they can start beating me up?" Hinata asked him.

"I mean it, I just wanted to watch you practice!" Naruto said.

"If you mean it... then be my new practice dummy, or I'll kill you with my rock." Hinata threatened him.

"Okay, okay... wait, practice dummy, doesn't that mean I can't fight back?" Naruto said.

"Yes now get up." Hinata got of of Naruto, and went back to her training spot. Naruto soon joined her, and stood arms at his side, embracing for any pain he might get.

'I still don't trust him. I always wanted to see what happens if I hit one of those points.' Hinata thought.

As Naruto looked at Hinata, he noticed her eyes suddenly got bigger, and veins around her eyes popped out.

"Whoa! What happened to your eyes?!" Naruto said in awe.

"Yeah, yeah, make fun of me all you want." Hinata said.

"That's awesome!"

"Huh?" Hinata said in utter confusion.

"I've never see someone do that, you think you can teach me how to do that?" Naruto said.

'I guess he's... different from everyone else.' Hinata thought.

"After we're done practicing. Now hold still."

Hinata jabbed Naruto in a spot on his right shoulder. It hurt Naruto initially, but he soon noticed that he couldn't move his arm anymore.

"Hey, I can't move my arm! How the heck did you do that?" Naruto said as though it was the coolest thing in the world.

"I didn't know I could do that." Hinata said to herself.

"Do you think you can undo it?" Naruto asked her.

"I can try." With Hinata looked at the same point she had hit, which looked different than if had before. She jabbed it again, and soon, Naruto was able to move his arm again.

"That was cool! How did you do that?!" Naruto asked.

"That's enough training for today. Come back tomorrow, I might tell you." Hinata said.

"All right, you got, believe it!" Naruto said giving the biggest grin she had ever seen.

----

The next day at the same spot, Hinata managed to disable both of Naruto's arms, and then his legs, before she put him back to normal, so she could do it again. She did this maybe 80 times. And Naruto was allowed to fight back, even though that did little-to-nothing to help.

"Alright, I think that's enough but kicking's for today." Hinata said.

"Great, I felt like I was gonna die. I brought lunch, you want some?" Naruto asked, producing a lunch-box.

"Is it alright?" Hinata asked, unused to genarosity.

"Yeah, I offered, didn't I?"

The two sat together and ate the lunch.

"Naruto this food is excellent, where'd you get it?" Hinata asked

"My mom made it, you wouldn't think she's a good cook, but boy is she!" He said with pride. "By the way Hinata, I wanted to ask you about how you did that thing with your eye's, and hit my legs and junk, how'd you do that?"

"Oh, well with my eyes, I've always been like that, I just have to focus for a while, and I can look through walls--"

"YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH WALLS!!?" Naruto yelled in awe of her abilities.

"DON"T YELL IN MY EAR LIKE THAT YOU DUMMY!" Hinata yelled back.

"Sorry."

"And yes, I can look through walls, but everything turns black-and white when I do, except people, animals, and plants, when I look at them, it's like someone drew blue lines all over their bodies."

"Blue lines? What are those?" Hinata asked.

"I'm not sure, but there are a lot of dots on them, and when I hit those dots, you weren't able to move. I call the ability my 'Eagle eye'." Hinata said.

"Hinata, your like the coolest person I've ever met. Do you think we can be friends?"

"Friends?" Hinata said.

"Yeah, I probably wouldn't be a really good friend, you'd be the only one I have, and I mess up a lot, but still, I'd like it very much if you said yes." Naruto said.

Hinata looked him in his eyes. He had such a hopeful, innocent look in his eyes. It made Hinata believe that things could actually get better for her.

"Sure Naruto, I'd love to be your friend."

-----

Two weeks later

----

"Hinata!" Hinata turned to see Naruto running towards her holding something in his hand. "Hinata, guess what I've got!" Naruto said excitedly.

"It looks like a frog." Hinata said.

"Ahh, but guess what's in the frog."

"Just give me a second." She said as she tried to activate her eagle eye.

"Nuh-uh-ah, you have to guess, no cheating."

"All right, I give up, what's in the frog?"

"Money!" Naruto told her. "My mom paid me for my chores, and now I'm going to spend it."

"Well, what are you going to spend it on?" She asked him.

"Lunch with you." He said.

"But I haven't got any money."

"Who said you had to pay, my treat."

"O-okay then." Hinata said, still unused to charity. "Where are we gonna go?"

"Only to the best food stand on the entire earth! Ichiraku's Ramen! Come on!" With that he started running to the food stand, he was so eager.

"Hey slow down! I can't eat if I don't know where it is!"

-----

"Come on Hinata!" Naruto said running backwards "I thought you were- oof!" Naruto was cut off when he hit the food stand, and fell on the ground.

"That's what you get for not waiting for me." Hinata told him when she caught up.

"You two should be careful, it's not a good idea to waste your youth bumping into things, and almost spilling meals." Someone in a green jumpsuit who was sitting on the table.

"Especially when it's my meal, you two understand?" He said facing the duo. The man had THE biggest eyebrows, in recorded history. When they saw this, the two couldn't help but break into hysterical laughter. "Hey what are you two laughing about, this is serious business."

"Its- its- its those- those huge eyebrows of yours mister!" Naruto said.

"They look-they look like their a pair of caterpillars!" Hinata said.

"I'll have you know, where I come from, large eyebrows are a symbol of status." He said, obviously annoyed by the two.

"There's no way we can take you seriously with those eyebrow's mister!" Hinata told him.

"That's it I'm leaving." With that, the the man with the big eyebrows left the stand, his meal still unfinished.

"Great, you drove off a customer, you better be worth it- oh" The woman attending the stand, a 15-16 year old girl, looked over the counter to see Naruto. "Hello Naruto, good to see you, what'll it be?"

Naruto got up from the ground and took a seat, and motioned Hinata to do the same.

"Nice to see you too, I brought a friend with me, let me introduce Hinata." Naruto said.

"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to drive off a customer." Hinata said.

"Ah it's okay." The girl responded. "Naruto's like three customers by himself."

"I'll have the usual, Hinata what do you want?" Naruto asked.

"I'll have what you have okay?"

"Okay, let me count out the money, 1,2,3, alright here you go." He said handing the waiter the money.

"Wait a minute." She said. "You're paying for her?"

"Yeah. Why not?" Naruto said.

"Never thought I'd see the day..." The waiter said, going to the kitchen to cook the food.

"What was that about?" Hinata asked him. Naruto just shrugged.

"All right, two big bowls of ramen, here you go." The waiter said as she handed them their food.

"Bon apetite!" Naruto said, as he started digging into his food. Hinata started slower, up to this point she had never had any ramen, but found it tasted great.

"Hmm, this is really good Naruto, thank you for-"

"More please!" Naruto said.

"Huh?" Hinata peered over and saw that Naruto's bowl was already empty. "How the heck can someone eat that fast!"

"Ramen is one of my few strong points." Naruto said proudly.

"Here you go Naurto," The waitress said. "More Ramen." Naruto paid her, and downed the bowl in seconds.

"There is no way a person can do that." Hinata muttered.

"It's a talent." Naruto told her.

"It's being greedy." Hinata told him.

"It's not as easy as it looks you know." He told her.

"Anyone can act like a pig." She remarked.

"Fine, the let's race, see who finishes their bowl first."

"You're on!"

"An eating contest?" The chef from behind the counter remarked. "Against Naruto? I gotta see this."

"Well on the count of three then?" The waitress said. "Okay, one... two... three!"

The two dived into their bowls, and Hinata fiercely ate hers in an effort to beat Naruto. However when Hinata finished from her bowl, she turned and saw Naurto already had three empty bowls by his side.

"You are not Human." Hinata said.

"Don't feel so bad, I'll get you another bowl, here--" Naruto reached into his frog wallet, but discovered it was completely empty. "Oh come on, I'm out already?!" He said in dismay.

"That's what you get for being a pig." Hinata told him.

-----

4 months later

-----

"Hinata Michiko. I presume you know why you are here, correct?" The third Hokage, the old and wise leader of the village, asked Hinata.

"Now, I don't now why I'm here, these people are only wasting my time, and I have places to be, so could you tell them to let me leave?" Hinata said.

"She's here because she was in a fight Lord Hokage." Iruka-sensei said. "You don't have to involve yourself with this, I'm assure you this will be dealt with."

"Ah, but a leader must make sure he is in touch with his people." The Hokage said. "Now, what happened during the fight?"

"Well, Hinata fought with three boys, each of them bigger than her, and now they have been sent to the hospital, partially paralyzed, and with broken bones." Iruka told him.

"I see. Hinata, could you please tell me why you were fighting?" The Hokage asked.

"They were making fun of Naruto. He wouldn't stand up for himself, so I did." She told him.

"Really, was that bad enough to send them to the hospital?" The Hokage asked.

"Hey! They were making fun of him because he was being my friend! He gets picked on all the time, and I'm the only one who stands up for him! Maybe if he wasn't the only one who tried treating me like a person, I'd wouldn't have hit those guys as hard as they did. It's all their fault."

"Hinata, while a applaud your spirit and fighting abilities, you can't attack people like that, it's a wrong thing to do. You can leave here, I'll discuss with your teachers about how this will be handled. Now Iruka, I've been meaning to talk to you about--"

Hinata bolted out of their the moment she could. She knew they didn't care about her. That's why she had to make sure she was strong enough to make them care. Hinata exited the school building, and saw Naruto sitting on the swing set hanging from the tree.

"Hey Hinata, did you get in trouble?" He asked.

"No, they decided that beating up three guys wasn't that big of a deal, and let me on my way." She said sarcastically, sitting down next to him on the swing.

"Oh, I'm-"

"Sorry, I know, don't be. It wasn't your fault." Hinata told him.

"But you fought them because they were picking on me." Naruto said.

"Hey, I'd take on the Nine-tailed fox if it meant having to help you. I don't get you Naruto, first your shy, then I can't get you to shut up, and now your getting back to being shy again."

"Well I feel like I'm started being a nuisance to you Hinata." He said. "You got into even more trouble, trying to keep those guys from picking on me, I'm just starting to think that it would be best if I stop bothering you."

"Naruto, I wouldn't care if you destroyed the village by accident, your still the only one decent enough to be nice to me, and I'm the only one you've got. We need each other. Besides, your the one who introduced me to the wonders of Ramen. You know what, let's pool together, and we can have a bowl of Ramen. We can celebrate the fact I haven't been punished yet."

"Really? Do really, truly mean it?" Naruto asked, looking as though he would be on the verge of tears.

"Yes! I really mean it! Man, for a guy, your kinda a wuss." Hinata said.

"Yeah but... for a girl, you aren't very ladylike." He told her.

"That just means we complement eachother."

-----

Okay, if you didn't get it by now, Naruto's dad died in the nine-tailed fox attack, but his mom lived, also, Hinata's dad was named Hokage instead on Naruto's dad. I chose to change Hinata's last name, because obviously the Hyuuga wouldn't want to be affiliated with 'the demon'. I got the name from Hinata's mom from another story, faith of the heart, which would be better if it updated.

The Byukagun is referred to as the Eagle Eye, since Hinata wouldn't know what it's name really is.


	3. Age 7

Age 7

----Naurto----

Age 7: Identifiable traits; somewhat reserved, like's Hinata.

----Hinata----

Age 6: Identifiable traits; Tomboy, loudmouthed.

-----

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!!" Hinata and Ms. Uzamaki said, jumping up from their hiding places, surprising Naruto.

"Wait, so you guys didn't forget?" Naruto said, almost welling up with tears he was so happy.

"Naruto, there is no possible way I could forget you being born." Naruto's mom, a red-headed knock-out, said.

Naruto almost started crying tears of joy at the amazing birthday party they had thrown. Naruto and his Mom lived in a small, 2 floor house, with a large living room, two small bathrooms (one upstairs, and one downstairs), a small kitchente, and 2 small bedrooms. Pretty much every square inch had been covered in streamers, decorations, and a lot of other Birthday stuff.

"Quit crying like a baby Naruto and just enjoy your presents." Hinata told him.

"Hinata your the best friend I've ever had!" Naruto said, giving Hinata a big hug.

"Hey, get off me you idiot! What have told you about hugging me!" Hinata said, trying to wriggle out of Naruto's hug-of-death.

"Well, I guess if you're to busy hugging Naruto, you _don't_ want your presents." Ms. Uzamaki.

"Wait, no, give me my presents please!" Naruto pleaded, releasing Hinata from his grip.

"They're on the table." She told him. Naruto quickly dashed to the table, and eagerly waited for his mom and Hinata to follow him so he could rip into his presents.

"Thanks, Ms. Uzamaki." Hinata said.

"Anytime Hinata." Hinata was happy that Naruto's mom was just as nice as Naruto was. She had even let Hinata come over to play at times.

"Alright, Naruto, how about we open this present first." Ms. Uzamaki said handing Naruto a small box wrapped in green.

Naruto grabbed the box, and felt that it was rather lightweight. When he opened the box, he almost broke into tears again.

"Mom... Mom, you're the best Mom in the whole entire world, don't let anyone say anything different!" He cried out. In his hand, Naruto was holding a coupon for a Month's worth of half-priced Ramen.

"It's from Ichiraku's too, so make sure to thank them as well."

Hinata smiled as she saw the bond Naruto held with his mother. For a long time, she was all he had, and the two were now inseperable. Hinata wished she had a family like they did.

"Aren't you gonna open my present now?" Hinata asked.

"Of course." He said, wiping some of the tears from his eye's. "I just need a moment."

Hinata passed him a present, little bigger than his mom's present, wrapped in blue wrapping paper, with a white bow on top. When Naruto opened it up he was speechless for a moment. "Hinata..."

"I know how much you wanted something like this, so I worked a bunch of odd-jobs, so I could afford it."

In the box were a pair of green goggles, that they had seen in a shop window a few month's ago. And it was really expensive too.

"I promise... that.. I'll w-wear this... for as l-long as I- l-live. Okay, Hinata?" Naruto said, tears coming out of his eye's.

"Naruto, no-ones gonna start respecting if you keep crying all the time! Grow a backbone already!" Hinata told him.

_'I'm glad he likes it.'_ She thought._ 'It would've really sucked that I worked so hard to afford those goggles. Of course it was kinda obvious that he wanted them way he acted when we first saw them.'_

Naruto was putting on the goggles, and it was obvious that they suited him well. It certainly made his blonde hair look less like he had just gotten out of bed.

-----

2 Months later

-----

"Hinata!" Naruto said running up to Hinata on the snowy streets of Konoha. "I have the greatest news ever!"

"Don't shout so much." Hinata told him. "Anyway what is it?"

"You'd never guess, Mom wants to adopt you!" Naruto said, practically bursting from excitement.

It took a few moments before Hinata responded.

"SHE WANTS TO WHAT!" She yelled in disbelief.

"You heard me right, she wants to adopt you from that nasty orphanage, and you can come over and live with us. It'd be like a _really _long sleep over. What do you think?"

"I think I'm gonna faint." She muttered in shock. To think, _she_, had was finally going to get adopted, and into Naruto's family, her best, and only friend.

"Wait Hinata, are you all right? Speak to me!" Naruto said, thinking something was wrong with the girl.

"Hey, don't panic! I was just surprised you idiot!" She said, slightly blushing.

"Oh, sorry. But we were hoping to have you move in with us in time for Christmas."

"Naruto... I want to thank you. For being the best, and nicest person in the whole world." Hinata said. "You're gonna make your father proud." With that, she gave Naruto a quick kiss on the cheek, which caused Naurto to blush deeply.

Hinata then ran up the street, shouting from over her shoulder: "Come on slow-poke, Ichiraku's on me! Hurry up!"

"Hey, don't leave me!" He said, trying to catch up to her. _'Girls are nice.'_

-----

Christmas

-----

"Mom, you've outdone yourself!" Naruto said, patting his full stomach.

The entire Uzamki family, Naruto, Ms. Kushina Uzamki (Naruto's Mom), and now Hinata, were all sitting down in the living room, around the dining table, bit's and pieces, and scraps from their meal strewn on their plates (All of them eat like pigs).

"Ms. Uzamaki, that was the best meal I've had in my entire life, thank you." Hinata said politely.

"Oh, it was just an ordinary Christmas dinner." Ms. Uzamki said. "And Hinata, just call me Mom from now on, okay?"

"Y-yes, Mom." Hinata said, unused to what's it's like to be in a family.

_'Hinata's so confidant when we're training, or fighting, but whenever she has to try something she hasn't done before, she get's very nervous.' _Naruto observed.

"Well children, now that our bellies are full, we should be getting to sleep, we don't want Santa to leave us with no presents, do we?" Ms. Uzamaki said.

At the mention of presents, both of them grabbed their plates, put them in the sink, and ran upstairs to their room.

_'I'm gonna miss the days when it is this easy.'_ Ms. Uzamaki thought.

Upstairs, Hinata and Naruto were in Naruto's room, since there were only two rooms, one for Naruto, and one for Naruto's mom. Hinata had to share with Naruto, or sleep on the couch, but Hinata didn't mind sleeping with Naruto. Another thing, was that there was only one bed In Naruto's room.

"Well... I guess we should start changing." Naruto said. _'Why does it seem like a bad thing to undress in front of a girl?' _he thought.

"Yeah, we have to get ready to sleep." Hinata agreed.

Naruto got his orange Pajama's from his dresser, and turned away from Hinata to change into them.

"Okay I'm ready." Hinata told him.

Naruto turned around to see Hinata, but saw she was but-naked.

"HINATA, WHY ARE NAKED??!" Naruto said, blushing deeply.

"STOP YELLING AT ME!" Hinata yelled back. "Anyway, I always sleep naked, why is that a bad thing?"

"I don't know, it's just supposed to be. I mean we even have different bathrooms at school."

"Well, we aren't in school, or in the bathroom." Hinata said.

"I guess you're right." Naruto said.

"Come on, let's get into bed. I don't want to lose my presents because of you."

"All right, just let me turn off the lights." Naruto said. Naruto turned off the lights, and the room was coated in darkness. Naruto made his way into bed, and felt Hinata laying beside him.

After a while of trying to get to sleep, Naruto got up so he could watch the snow fall. His movement unfortunately woke up Hinata.

"Come on Naruto, we aren't gonna get those presents if we don't get to sleep." Hinata told him.

"I'm trying, it's just that... I'm worried." He said.

"About what?" She asked him, getting up to sit beside him.

"I'm not sure if I made the good list this year." He told her.

"Naruto, if you don't get any presents this year, I am personally go to the north pole, to beat some sense into that red-covered fat guy." Hinata told him.

"Thanks Hinata. I guess." Naruto said. He continued to watch the snow falling. "I've always found watching snow helps me calm down a bit."

"Me too. Hey Naruto, do you think I could tell you a secret?" Hinata asked, looking Naruto in the eyes.

"What kind of secret?"

"Well, you know what day it is two day's after Christmas?" She asked.

"Yeah, that's the day the Demon-Fox attacked the village. Why?"

"Well it's also my birthday."

"Huh? Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto asked concerned.

"I wanted to tell you after your birthday party, and I was kinda worried what you'd think of me."

"Why would it matter?" Naruto asked.

"It's just kinda odd that my birthday was on the same day as that attack, don't you think?"

"Hinata, that's the reason I like you. You have blue hair, white eye's that can look through walls, and you can knock three guys out without even blinking. You are the coolest person ever."

"Thanks." She said.

"I think I'm ready to go to sleep." He said. He got back under the covers with Hinata, and closed his eyes.

_'Naruto's kinda cute when he's asleep.'_ Hinata thought._ 'Wait a minute. Something was wrong with that thought. Did I just think like a girl? I can't do that, people will definitely start making fun of me If I start acting girly now. Although, they do already make fun of me for a bunch of other stuff.'_

Before she could dwell longer on her thoughts, Naruto, still asleep, put his arm around Hinata, and pulled her into a hug.

_'I guess I shouldn't worry too much about this stuff. It's not gonna do any good if I do.' _She thought, subconsciously snuggling against Naruto, before drifting off to sleep.


	4. Age 9

Age 9

-----

Naruto: A klutz

-----

Hinata: Somewhat Obnoxious

-----

"So..." Iruka-Sensei said, giving the two of them the evil eye. "You thought it would be funny, to sneak into class, while no-one was there, and hide all of the books, textbooks, pencils, pens, and **everything else**, and hide them in the Bathrooms."

"Yeah, as a matter a fact we did find it funny!" Hinata said.

"You know, Iruka-Sensei, we had no idea you were such a Pervert." Naruto said.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Iruka said.

"I mean, we found all sorts of porno's under your desk." Naruto told him.

"You what!" Iruka yelled.

"Yeah, we didn't bother hiding those, we put them in the teacher's lounge, with a note, saying: Property of Iruka." Hinata told him.

"That's it! Detention for the whole week!" Iruka said. "You've gone over the limit here. Kushina will come to pick you up soon. I will personally tell her what the two of you did."

With that, Naruto and Hinata just slumped into their chairs, as Iruka left. They had learned the routine by now.

"You know Naruto, you didn't have to help me." Hinata said.

"But I wanted to, we're friends, I help you with this stuff, and you help me train, so I don't flunk the academy." Naruto responded.

"Yeah, but I don't get detention for helping you train." She pointed out.

"But it takes hours for me to get something right." Naruto said pessimistically.

"Oh come on now, if I didn't whip that wussy but of yours into shape every now and again, who would I talk to during class?"

"Thanks Hinata." Naruto said.

"Ya know Naruto..." Hinata said. "I've been wondering..."

"About what?"

"You like me, right?"

"Yeah, of course I like you." Naruto said.

"Well, I mean do you like-like me?"

"Uh..." Naruto said. He really had no idea how to respond. On the inside he was almost panicking. He had like-liked Hinata for a really long time. She was after all, the prettiest girl in his class, Sakura was the only one who came close, but she was a complete jerk. But he had no idea how to respond.

"It's only a yes or no question Naruto." Hinata told him. Hinata herself, was blushing, something she hardly ever did. She usually tried to keep her feelings down in public, but on the inside, she was someone who couldn't help but be embarrassed slightly at even little things.

"W-well Hinata... I... well I... yes. I really do like-like you." Naruto said.

"Good." Hinata said, giving him a hug. "I like-like you too."

"I uh, thought you didn't like hugs Hinata."

"Only when you are trying to squeeze the life out of me." Hinata told him.

"Um... Ok." He said. He really didn't know how to proceed.

"Well, Naruto, does this mean we should be like, boyfriend-girlfriend." Hinata asked him.

"Um, yes, Hinata, I'd really like to be your girlfriend."

"Naruto, your supposed to the boyfriend." Hinata told him.

"Ah, yeah, yeah, you're right! I'm sorry, Hinata, I don't know what to do."

"Well you can relax, I'm not going to bite you."

"Yeah." Naruto said, blushing slightly.

"Do what I do, just take a deep breath, and blow out all your nervousness."

Naruto took a very deep breath, and as he exhaled, relaxed slightly.

"Thanks Hinata. I'd like to be your boyfriend."

"Good. I was worried I was gonna have to beat the words out of you."

Then, there was a knock on the door, and Kushina came through them.

"Hey kids, what did you do this time?" She asked them.

"Mom!" They said getting up from their chairs to greet her.

"Where's Iruka?" She asked them.

"Probably to get his Porno collection." Hinata said.

"Hinata, I know you don't like him, but you shouldn't insult him like that." She scolded her.

"No really Mom, we found it in his desk, I think he put's it inside a book, so it looks like he's just reading. We went and put it in the teacher's lounge." Naruto told her.

"Ahh, so that's why you're in trouble?" She asked.

"Well..." Hinata said. "We also hid all the rest of the class stuff in the Bathrooms."

"Your grades are as bad enough as it is." Kushina told them. "You don't need to be causing trouble like this you know."

"Ah Kushina, just who I wanted to talk to." Iruka-Sensei said, walking down the hall with a stack of papers.

"I wanted to speak with you too, Iruka." She said. "I'll be just a minute you two." She told Naruto and Hinata. Kushina closed the door to the hallway, leaving Iruka and her in the hallway.

"Um, Kushina, if you wouldn't mind, I've got these papers to grade, if you could let me drop these at my desk..."

"Can it Iruka." Kushina said, her eye's shooting daggers at him. "I was told of a certain collection of Magazines that you have."

"Oh-oh really?" Iruka said, nervously. Kushina, faster than the eye could see, took off the front papers on the stack he was carrying, which revealed a magazine, showing many scantily clad women on it's cover. "S-since when was that there?" Iruka said, beginning to sweat.

"Iruka." She said.

"Yes?"

"You remember what I do to perverts?"

"No, actually I-" Suddenly the magazines he was holding in his hands caught alight, and were reduced to cinders in his hands.

"Your getting of easy now." She told him. "Anyway, on to the matters of Hinata and Naruto."

Um, yes." Iruka said, trying to get over how Kushina had just burnt his Magazines. "Hinata had been trouble since day one, and Naruto has been just as bad when they started hanging out. I'm not saying you should separate them, but they barely scrape by."

"Look, Iruka, you know what it's like to be separated from everybody around you." Kushina said. "For some reason, everyone holds a grudge against Naruto, cause he looks so much like his father. You know what Naruto has gone through. But you don't know what Hinata went through. She's had even worse, still does. She is hated for what she is. Can you imagine that."

"Look, I pulled my share of pranks at their age, but I still paid for it too." Iruka said.

"I'm just telling you, that you know their reasons. Naruto just wants to keep his friend, and Hinata just wants simple acknowledgment. They need someone, who can reach out to them. I can only do so much. You should see them when they're without each other. Naruto look's like he's a miserable lost puppy, and Hinata look's as though she might bite your head off if you say one wrong word. I'll talk to them, but I think you need to be able to let them know you understand them."

-----

"Mom, you're the best mom in entire world!" Naruto said, giving his mother one of his famous death hugs.

"Okay! Okay! Please Naruto, you're gonna break something!" Kushina said, playfully trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"I have no idea how you got Iruka-sensei to let us off of detention!" Hinata said.

"Well, a woman has her ways." Kushina said, as they walked down the streets of Konoha. "But, I might not be able to do it again, so please, for both your sakes, please lay off the pranks."

"You got it." Hinata said.

Naruto finally let go of his mother, and continued walking down the streets. "So where are we going mom?" Naruto asked.

"To the movies!" She told him, absolutely beaming.

"No way!" Hinata and Naruto said in unison.

"Yep. As a treat for being able to wriggle out of trouble, or something like that." She told them.

They kept walking down the streets. Along the way, Hinata and Naruto gradually got closer together.

"Hey mom." Naruto said.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Um... there's something I'd like to tell you."

"Don't be shy Naruto, you can tell me anything!"

"Um... Hinata, could you?"

"Naruto and I are boyfriend-girlfriend!" Hinata said, positively beaming.

"You are!?" Kushina said in shock. She always knew the two liked each other, but she thought the personality gap was so large, she'd wait another few years.

"Yeah." Naruto said, somewhat shyly. "Hey mom?"

"Yes, darling?"

"What exactly do boyfriends and girlfriends do together?" Naruto asked.

"Why are you asking Naruto?" Hinata said.

"Well, because I don't know." Naruto admitted. "I mean, I know being boyfriend-girlfriend is a big thing, but what kinds of things do you do?"

"Well..." Kushina said. _'How do I put this, so a nine-year-old's little mind can comprehend?' _"usually, they go on dates."

"You mean the little dried up fruits?" Hinata asked.

"No, it's when boyfriends and girlfriends go to a place to hang out and have fun." Kushina said.

"That doesn't sound much different from what we normally do." Naruto said.

"Well there's a bit of a catch." Kushina said. "You see, after there done, they give eachother a kiss, and walk home."

"A KISS!!??" Hinata and Naruto said in unison.

"On the lips." She said, smiling menacingly. "Come to think about it... It's kinda of like you're on a date now." Kushina said. The thought seemed to torture their little minds. The thought of being put into the hotspot so soon, and having to kiss a girl/boy they weren't related to for the first time.

-----

The movie was nice for the two of them. They sat next to each other in the theatre, and shared their popcorn. The movie was rather funny at some points, and sad in some others. Naruto started crying when one of the character's died, but Hinata helped to comfort him. It seemed better then how they normally hung out together. Just the fact that they knew the other like-liked them seemed to make it so.

After they exited the theatre, Naruto and Hinata paused. Both of them were blushing.

"So..." Hinata said.

"You know, Hinata... um... I won't make you kiss me, If you don't want to." Naruto said.

"Ah, no that's not it. I kinda do want to kiss you. Is that all right?" Hinata said.

"No, I mean yes, it's all right. I kinda want to kiss you too." Naruot said.

"On three?" Hinata asked. Naruto nodded. "OK. One... two... three!"

The two kissed each other on the lips. They had never done something like this before, but they both knew that it was one of the best things they had ever done together. It was just mind blowing, that they had known each other this long, and hadn't done this before. After a while, they remembered that they had to breathe, and stopped kissing, gasping for air.

"That was nice, Naruto." Hinata said. "Do you think we could go on another date."

"Yeah, I'd like that." Naruto said. _'Girls are nice.'_ He thought.

-----

So what do you guys think? I've gotten the childhood out of the way for the most part, and I'll be picking up near the final exams.

I don't think I did as good a job as I could've, but I think it'll get better when I get into the main story, I'm just trying to get this out of the way for now. I think I might go over this again later, try to add in some more stuff, but I'll have to see how far this goes first.

Reviews are very much appreciated. Any comments, or critiques are good. Thanks very much, SAmaster01.


	5. The day of the Genin exams

The Difference Ch4

The Genin Exams.

-----

Ah, children! It is good to see you again. Are you wiser now? More learned? I certainly hope you are more open-minded. I presume you are here to learn more of the tale, about the white-eyed girl, yes?

Good. Because _this_ is where it starts to get interesting.

So we know join the White-eyed Man's daughter, and the Toad Man's son, as they face their first true test of character. Let us begin...

-----

"You really truly, have outdone yourselves this time." Iruka-Sensei said, looking at Hinata and Naruto, both of them having their hands tied behind their backs, being shown to their classmates as an example.

"You really think so? I thought we'd never be able to top what we did last Christmas." Hinata said.

"Shut it!" Iruka yelled.

"Aw, come on Iruka-Sensei, is what we did that bad?" Naruto asked.

"Of course it is you dunce! You defaced the faces on Hokage Mountain!" Iruka yelled.

"You don't need to yell, we're right here you know." Hinata told him.

"Shut it! Come on, it's almost the Genin exam, the two of you shouldn't be pulling pranks at this time. As punishment, you're gonna clean off all the graffiti you put on the Mountain, you understand?" The teacher told them.

"Like we care." Hinata told him.

"That's it, because of you two, the entire class is going to have to review the Transformation Jutsu!" He announced. "Even if you've already passed, you're going to have to do it to."

"What!?" The class as a whole said.

"Leave it to those two to mess things up like this." Kiba said.

"What a drag." Shino sighed.

"Everyone, line up!" Iruka told them. The class assembled before the teacher. "Alright, first up, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura stepped up from her fellow classmates. "Alright, here I go. Transform!" She performed a hand-sign, and transformed into an exact replica of her teacher.

"Okay." Iruka said.

"I did it!" Sakura said, clearly happy at the small success. "Did you see that Sasuke?" He asked.

"Quit being such a fangirl." Hinata told her.

"What did you say!?" Sakura said, almost ready to fight her then and there.

"Break it up you two. Next, Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke stepped from the line, and changed into an exact replica of his teacher as well. "Good. Next, Naruto Uzamaki."

"Try not to mess this up." Ino told him. Hinata gave Naruto a wink, and Naruto nodded to show he had seen it. Naruto performed the Hand Sign, and changed into- A beautiful, blonde, and nude, teenage girl, in a suggestive position, causing Iruka to reel back, trying to contain his perverted thoughts. Hinata was laughing her head off at the teacher's reaction.

"How can you be okay with your boyfriend pulling off a move like that?" Choji asked her.

"You kidding me, I'm the one that gave him the idea in the first place." She told him.

"I call it the Sexy Jutsu." Naruto told Iruka.

"YOU DUNCE! DON'T USE SUCH STUPID TECHNIQUES!" Iruka yelled at him.

-----

"Did you see the look on his face?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah that was pretty funny." Naruto admitted.

"You didn't have to help me with pulling of this prank though." Hinata said, as she cleaned the Second's nose.

"Are you kidding me? It was the most fun I've had in a long time. I'd do anything to help, even if I get in trouble for it." Naruto told her. Naruto jumped down from the Second's right eye, and give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Besides, we really did a number on the Fourth."

"You two really shouldn't be treating what you did as a good thing you know!" Iruka told them from atop the Third's head.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Hinata told him, and went back to scrubbing the statue.

"And your not going back home until this has been cleaned real good."

"Whatever." Naruto said.

_'Maybe I should try something different.' _Iruka thought. "You know what, how about, if you do a good enough job, I'll treat you to some Ramen tonight."

"Now that's some incentive!" Naruto, who then started cleaning the Monument with vigor.

-----

The two of them managed to a do a good enough job, and Iruka treated the two of them to Ichiraku's Ramen.

Naruto had already eaten two bowls by now, and Hinata had just finished her first, while Iruka hadn't even started on his.

"Can I ask you guy's a question?" Iruka asked. "Why did you deface the faces of the the Hokage? I mean, you understand who they are right?"

"Hokage: A strong leader of a hidden village, knows over a thousand Jutsu's, and is almost a one-man army." Naruto said, as if quoting a dictionary.

"In other words, the number one ninja of a village." Hinata summed up.

"Then if you know what they do, why did you deface the mountain like that?" Iruka asked.

"My Dad was gonna be Hokage." Naruto said. "But the Fourth made him lose the job, and now everyone thinks he's a big loser. He died when the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked, but everyone thinks he's still a big failure."

"It was Naruto's idea, but I actually wanted to do it." Hinata told him. "And I'm gonna be greater than all of them. Then everyone, will understand that I'm important."

"Hey, Iruka-Sensie?" Naruto said. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Do you want another bowl." He asked.

"No, I was wondering if I could try on your headband?"

"This old thing? No way!" Iruka told him.

"Aw, come on, is it that much of a big deal?" Hinata asked him.

"Yeah it is." Iruka answered. "This is proof that you passed through Ninja Academy, and are a real bona fide Ninja. I can't let you get one of these until you pass the Genin exam."

"Meany." Naruto told him.

-----

"Do you think you can do it Naruto?" Hinata asked as they sat in class, waiting for the exams to begin. "Your Ninjutsu isn't exactly the best in the world."

"I think I can do it." Naruto said. "As long as it's not the Shadow Clone Jutsu, I think I can scrape by."

"Here have a kiss for good luck." Hinata said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, causing Naruto to blush slightly.

"Okay." Iruka-Sensei said. "If your name is called, come to the classroom next door. The Subject will be the Replication Technique."

"Uh-oh." Hinata said. She turned to look at Naruto who was in a panic. In his entire time in the academy, he had never managed to create a single clone.

"First up, Naruto Uzamki." Iruka said. Naruto looked as though he had been put on an execution list.

-----

Iruka and Mizuki were sitting behind a desk lined with Ninja Headbands on it.

_'Okay, I got to do this, I have to, I can't let Hinata, and my Mom, and my Dad down, I have to pass this.'_

"Anytime your ready Naruto." Mizuki said.

"Alright, here I go!" Naruto said. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto performed the hand signs, and poured his Chakra into the technique, but the end result was a feeble, color drained replica of Naruto, that couldn't even move.

Iruka looked at the poor excuse of a Shadow Clone, before yelling: "You fail!"

"You know, Iruka Sensei, he did the hand sign's correctly, and his stamina is really good, _and_ he did create a shadow clone." Mizuki said. "Maybe we could pass him instead."

Naruto's eye's began to light up as he said this.

"Mizuki-Sensei, everyone is required to create three, perfect clones." Iruka said "And Naruto, at his best, can only create one clone, and let's face it, it's pathetic. We can't pass him."

------

Hinata sat next to Naruto on a swing outside the academy, trying to make him feel better.

"Don't worry Naruto, I'm sure you'll pass the exams next year." She said, giving him a pat on the back.

"Yeah, maybe, but it means we're still never gonna be on the same team." Naruto said, completely miserable.

"No it doesn't, I'll stay behind, until you pass, okay?" She told him.

"B-but Hinata! You want to be a ninja too right!" Naruto said. "You want to be a strong Ninja, the strongest, right? You passed, you deserve to be a Ninja."

"But-"

"No buts. You have your own dreams, and goals. I couldn't live with myself if I ruined your dream."

"Okay." Hinata said. "It's just hard to think that after all this time, after how hard we worked together, we won't be able to see each other for a while."

-----

Hinata was sitting on a roof top. She wanted to be alone for a while. It practically broke her heart, knowing she would be unable to be with Naruto. All she could really hope for was that she wasn't teamed up with someone like Sakura, of, heaven forbid, Sasuke. Hinata just stared into the sunset.

"Hey Hinata." Hinata almost fell from where she was standing, though she regained her balance. She turned to see Mizuki-Sensei beside her. "What have you been thinking about?" He asked her.

"I'm kinda bummed out. Naruto and I won't be Ninja's together." She told him. "We worked real hard together too. I would always help him with his Ninjutsu, and he'd help me with all the tests and stuff. But now..."

"You know, Iruka-Sensei wasn't being mean when he failed Naruto. He was just trying to be a good teacher." Mizuki said, taking a seat next to Hinata.

"Well, why does he always pick on me?" She asked.

"I think, he's trying to help you to be strong." Mizuki said. "He was an orphan too. He didn't have anyone adopt him, but he still knows some of what you had to go through."

"But, still... I can't imagine what it's gonna be like, without Naruto, we've been through everything since we were five."

"Well, it just so happens that I know a special way to get around the Genin exams." He told her.

"W-what do you mean?" She asked.

"I'm gonna tell you a very special secret." Mizuki said.

------

"Iruka!" Mizuki yelled, banging on his friends door during the middle of the night. "Iruka, wake up!"

"What is it?" Iruka said, opening the door, still in his pajama's.

"You have to come to the Hokage's Mansion! Quick!" Mizuki told him. "It's Hinata, she took the Scroll of Sealing!"

"What... the Scroll of Sealing?"

------

"Hey, Naruto!" Hinata said, her figure lit by the moonlight, as she climbed through the window into their room.

"Huh, Hinata, what are you doing?" He asked, trying to wake himself up.

"Follow me, to our training spot, I found a way to get around the exams!"

-----

"This has gone too far Lord Hokage!" One of the Ninja's on duty said.

"We can't just put this off as another one of her pranks!"

"That scroll is dangerous! If it's used against us, we can only imagine the bad stuff that could happen."

"If she carries that thing outside of the village, it could become a major threat."

"Bring Hinata here." The Hokage told them, and instantly they all went off on their search for Hinata.

-----

"Heh, I thought I'd find you here." Iruka said, staring down Hinata, who was holding the large scroll on her back, in a small forest clearing. "Heh-heh, didn't make it as hard as you should've done."

"I guess we got caught." Naruto said, Iruka noticing him for the first time.

"Yeah, we only got in one technique." Hinata said, grinning like the Cat that ate the Canary.

_'Wait a minute, were they training here?' _Iruka thought, noticing how grubby their clothes were, and how worn out they seemed.

"Well, now I can show you a really cool technique, and graduate!" Naruto said.

"That's right, if Naruto can show you a technique from the scroll, he can graduate, right?" Hinata said.

"W-who told you that?" Iruka asked, shocked.

"Mizuki-Sensei!" Hinata told him. "He told me about the scroll, and if Naruto learned a technique from it, Naruto can graduate.

Iruka threw Hinata into Naruto, shortly before a deadly barrage of Kunai knives rained down from the trees, impaling Iruka, and pinning him onto a nearby tree.

"I see, so that's how it is." Iruka said, looking to where the knives had come from, and seeing Mizuki on top of a tree branch.

"Hinata," He said, the kind voice he had used earlier now gone. "give me that scroll."

"Hey what's going on here!?" Naruto said in a near panic.

"Whatever you do, don't give him that scroll!" Iruka told them, as he pulled one of the knives out of his leg. "The scroll has very dangerous, and forbidden techniques. Mizuki used you, so he could get a hold of it!"

"Don't listen to him." Mizuki told the children. "Iruka is just afraid of you having it."

"But why?" Hinata asked.

"What are you talking about? Whatever you do, don't listen to him!" Iruka told them.

"Heh-heh, you know what, I'm gonna tell you the truth." Mizuki told them.

"DON'T!" Iruka yelled.

"A law was passed, 12 years ago, after the attack on the Village by the Nine-Tailed Fox." Mizuki began.

"Don't tell them that! It's forbidden!" Iruka yelled.

"It's a law, that requires specifically, for Hinata to never, ever know." Mizuki continued, completely ignoring Iruka.

"W-what's the rule?" Hinata asked.

"It's to make sure that nobody knows that Hinata is actually the Nine-Tailed Fox!" Mizuki told them.

"Wait, that can't be true!" Naruto said.

"Oh it's true, she's the one that killed your father Naruto, the one that killed Iruka's parents." Mizuki said, his voice completely filled with malice.

"Stop it Mizuki!" Iruka yelled, almost ripping a part of hi body that had been hit by a knife.

"No, no you're lying." Hinata said. "Your just lying!"

"No, I'm the only one that's telling you the truth." Mizuki told her. "You've been decieved, tricked into thinking you are who you think you are. I mean, it must seem obvious now, the way everyone in the village hates you, the way they look at you, as though you shouldn't even be breathing the same air. Face it, you _are_ the Nine-Tailed Fox."

"Shut up!" Hinata screamed. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!" She screamed, as though she was trying to block out what he was saying.

"And now, I'm gonna put you out your misery." Mizuki said, taking out a giant Shuriken, a Ninja throwing tool, and started spinning, ready to strike. "Your body is gonna be so torn up, they'll never be able to identify you! Face it, even Naruto and Iruka hate you, you killed their parents! You deserve to die!"

Mizuki then threw the giant tool at Hinata, who tried to run away, although to no avail. When the tool struck, though, Hinata didn't feel any pain, she had always thought that death would be more painful. She then opened her eyes, which she hadn't even known she had closed, and saw Iruka, standing over her, grunting in pain.

"Why? Why did you...?" Hinata asked in shock.

"Because... you went through what I had to." Iruka told her. "After I had been orphaned, I had no one. Just like you. I felt empty, as though I could die and no one would care about it. I never got good grades in class, so I became the class clown, anything to get attention, to make sure people took interest in my existence. It was real tough... you were lonely. All you had was Naruto, and his mother to help you, but you had it worse than I did, you were despised, and you never knew why. I should've been there for you more, instead of how I treated you instead. I'm ashamed of the way I behaved Hinata, I'm sorry." Iruka started crying, his tears dripping on to Hinata's face.

"Mizuki, your gonna pay! Naruto yelled at him. "No one messes with my teacher, or my Girlfriend, you got that!?"

Mizuki just laughed his head off. "You gotta be kidding me! Iruka you've hated her ever since she killed your parents. And as for you Naruto, don't you understand that demon killed your father? You should be helping me, not threatening me."

"Will you just shut up!?" Naruto said. "Hinata's not that kind of person, she would never do something like that! I don't know what kind of crazy lies you've been told, but If you honestly think Hinata is the Nine-Tailed fox, then you need your head examined!"

"You know what Naruto?" Mizuki said. "I was thinking about letting you live through this," Mizuki jumped down from the tree branch, and on to the ground, wielding another giant Shuriken. "but now you're gonna have to die along with everyone else!" Mizuki began to race towards him, spinning the Shuriken in his hand, but was suddenly hit by Hinata, who just appeared from nowhere to land a punch straight into Mizuki's mouth, causing him to fall back about 10 feet.

"How did you do that?" He asked in shock.

"You are going to pay for what you've done to us tonight." Hinata told him. "Do you understand that?"

"Yeah right, you and what army?" He asked.

Sudedenly, the entire forest was filled with hundreds, upon hundreds of Naruto's, behind every bush, on top of every branch, everywhere, all of them staring down Mizuki.

"Just this one." All of them said as a whole. "Now I'm gonna do what you've done to us by a thousand times!"

Mizuki gave off a high, girlish scream as all the Naruto's began to beat up Mizuki, and they kept doing so until the early dawn. The end result was a bloody pulp of a Human that responded to the name Mizuki.

"Naruto I think you went overboard on him." Hinata said.

"Well, he was asking for it."

"You know I don't think I've ever felt prouder of you." She said, giving him a big hug.

"Aw thanks." Naruto said, hugging her back. "Hey, Iruka-Sensei, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I've been through worse." Iruka said, having already pulled out the large Shuriken from his back, and the knives from his limbs. _'You know what Naruto. You may very well become Hokage one day.'_

"You know what Naruto, I want you to come here for a moment." Iruka said. Naruto came closer to his teacher, Hinata following. "Okay, I want you to close your eyes for a moment." Naruto did as he was told, and Iruka took off his Headband, and put it on Naruto in place of his goggles. "Okay, now you can open them." He told him. "Congratulations, you've passed the Genin exams, and have now graduated from the Ninja Academy."

Naruto reached up to his forehead to feel the headband, almost speechless.

"I'm really proud of you." Hinata told him.

"Come on, we can celebrate with a bowl of Ramen, what do you say?" Iruka said.

"Th-this has g-g-got to be the b-best day of my entire life!" Naruto said, practically bawling his eye's out.

"Geeze Naruto get a hold of yourself!" Hinata told him.

"I c-c-can't h-help it!" Naruto said.


End file.
